Sony: iPad Will Make People Buy PSPs

[Logan Westbrook]

While it's true that PSP sales have grown year on year since the release of the iPhone in 2007, with nearly 42 million units sold, according to Sony's official figures.

Not to be a dink, but I think you have yourself a sentence fragment here.

While it's true that PSP sales have grown year on year since the release of the iPhone in 2007, with nearly 42 million units sold, according to Sony's official figures.

I'm not trying to be rude, but you have to be more careful with your sentence structure. This is a dependent clause, not a sentence.

I don't think I'd ever buy an iPad. Even the Apple fanbois at MacRumors have mixed opinions about this product.

Well spotted gents, thanks for the heads-up!

 

[Yopaz]

Sounds like it's time for a conspiracy theory! Apple and Sony are working together. Sony wanted to boost PSP sales and Apple made it possible by creating the iPad which makes people buy PSPs for jumbo profit!
Seriously... I don't think I can possibly understand his logic here. I simply fail to see it. sorry everyone.

 

[Sixties Spidey]

Yeah. Because hey, it's better to waste your money on something that has SOME use instead of something with absolutely no purpose of existing, let alone worth any fucking penny.

 

[WhiteTigerShiro]

That's assuming people don't make bad purchasing decisions on a consistent basis. Also again it's a cost-benefit issue. If you are somehow happy with the gaming experience an iPad gives you (can't imagine how, but let's just theorize here), then you won't see any reason to spend $170 on something that has less battery life, a smaller screen, and relies partially on disc-based media. Unless of course they are so bad at purchase decisions that they blow money on a PSPGo assuming the cursed thing still exists at that point.

Just because they're happy with the gaming offered on the iPad doesn't mean that they won't crave something else as well. You yourself could be an example of this, having all 3 main consoles. Are you trying to imply that you were unhappy with two of those three that you had to buy the third one as well? Or would it be more accurate to say that you were happy with what you had, but decided that the third one offered something extra that you also wanted? I myself fall under that category, having a Wii, a DS, and a PC that I try to keep up to date. All three systems have offerings that the other two might not, be it through exclusive titles, control methods, or etc.

Frankly if I had purchased an iPad and then got into gaming, I'd easily be able to justify a purchase of under $200 for this new hobby I'm really getting into. Even if one were to find that the PSP or DS don't offer what was hoped for and end-up disliking the purchase, I would wager that most people buying the iPad, would find a $200 loss is negligible. Especially when they can try eBaying it or maybe gifting the system to a friend/family member. "Hey, I picked this portable system up thinking I'd like it, but it wasn't to my taste. Any takers?" Add contacts, send out.

As you yourself said, if they're buying the iPad, they probably have the money to spend. Or if nothing else, they don't spend money wisely. Mind that the Sony rep never said whether or not the people should buy a PSP after making this $800 purchase, he just said that it's a likely scenario that they might after getting a taste of gaming.

 

[JohnTomorrow]

Want a bit of fun, some addictive gaming, whilst sitting on the toilet or riding the bus?

Get a DS.

Want to play a serious game or watch a movie whilst on the toilet or riding the bus, usually with earbuds in so you can hear every word?

Get a PSP.

I've had both for a while, and i'll have to say, i use the DS more, but enjoy the PSP more too. Portable FF7? How can you go wrong?

 

[DTWolfwood]

"Sony still trails behind Nintendo by tens of millions of units however, suggesting that when people want a 'deeper, richer, console', they actually buy a DS."

BURN!! XD

interesting logic there <.< but where in the statement does this relate to the iPad? <.<

 

[Brnin8]

I don't get he thinks they'll buy a PSP over a DS but oh well.
I wouldn't buy the iPad anyway because it sounds like a womens hygiene product, they probably had the same naming committee as the acid reflux medicine "Aciphex" (one of the side effects is diarrhea if I remember correctly and yes, it is a real drug).

 

[SilentVirus]

Whats with Apple and attempting to make games to match the other companies that have been doing this for a really long time? And to add to that why must they make everything have a touch screen? I personally don't like touching the screen for every for of interaction. And finally I don't think to many people will be using the Ipad for gaming to much.

 

[chenry]

Whatever helps you sleep at night, Sony.

 

[NamesAreHardToPick]

I hope Sony's right about this, the PSP is a hugely underrated piece of hardware. I can see how someone who's started gaming on an iPod or iPhone and is considering a hardware upgrade might consider iPad for a big enough screen that you can still see what's going on with your thumbs on a virtual gamepad, or a much cheaper and more portable PSP with actual gamepad controls lol. PSP's also a different platform so they'd have a lot more software available to buy as well.

I wonder what the PSP vs DS numbers look like when you just consider people who bought the machines for themselves... taking out all the little kids who got the kid's-model machine from their parents.

 

[S_K]

erm... excuse me? Since when has a tablet just a little bit smaller then A4 been considered portable? You'd have to have a weird bag to carry it in and I bet it has all the durability of carrying a small window around -_-

 

[Monshroud]

People are buying PSP's? When did that happen? Almost everyone I know has a DS. I guess Sony has fanboy's who will buy any product with their name on it...

 

[elvor0]

Sounds decently reasonable to me, he believes the iPad will be a gateway console to the PsP, which makes sense because I don't see the iPad sating anyone's gaming appetite.

The ipad isnt exactly supposed to be a gaming console though, it's for business men and the like to use for work.

Hmmm no, you're thinking of a blackberry. Or maybe a Sony Vaio. The iPad is that thing that requires you to look extremely goofy while doing pretty much anything, and that can't connect to anything if you want to do a presentation. You know, the opposite of what a serious business man would want.

Ok it looks goofy, but it's primary function is obviously not supposed to be a gaming platform, so my point still stands.

 

[lvl9000_woot]

I'd buy a newer PSP rather than an iPad.

[small]I wonder if I can get a decent trade-in deal...[/small]

 

[BillBarilko]

Sony still trails behind Nintendo by tens of millions of units however, suggesting that when people want a 'deeper, richer, console', they actually buy a DS.

Mr. Koller, you have been SERVED!

 

[NamesAreHardToPick]

The reason, I think, the OP had the jab about the DS outselling the PSP in there, is because it's an unsurprisingly egotistical comment from Sony to say that the logical step in portable gaming is from an iPad to a PSP, as if the PSP is the actual go-to handheld when in fact it is a distant second in a field of two.
...
For all the wrong they've done and continue to do, enough people have been able to purchase and enjoy the PSP on its good points (and they do exist) for it to remain competitive, in spite of Sony trying really hard to sabotage their own product (PSPGo being the latest attempt).

PSP is closer to Apple's products in terms of style, price, and features. How the hell is someone looking to move on from an Apple product going to consider a DS? "Oh man, suddenly I really regret buying all this hipster gear. I should totally pick up one of those cheap blocky DS' and a bunch of removable media."

 

[Jman1236]

I see the iPad as being big in business and in the medical field but not as big into gaming as the iPhone and iPod touch.

 

[Lemon Of Life]

Silly Sony. Seriously, that's one weird train of thought.

 

[ninjajoeman]

you know i was hoping to get an itouch like object but not anything with I in the name cause (my opinion) macs are for people that like shiny objects. I instead just bought the psp so you know there may be some logic in this.